Oil vs. Natural Gas

Words from the ICPA Executive Director

Here is what I can say because we know this as an absolute - oil has been less expensive than natural gas over the last 20 years, over the last 15 years, and over the last 5 years - we have John Batey's [former DOE/BNL Lab Engineer] material on Connecticut-specific comparisons that lay that out - and was less expensive than natural gas last year - our pdf file on comparing prices laid that out and oil turned out even less expensive that even we showed for 2/3rds of the heating season after January's collapse for 2006/07.

No one who looks at more and one day or one week or one month switches fuels - especially when the overall record is not in natural gas' favor. Coupled with the conversion cost of $4,500 to $6,000 - switching makes no sense and the material from the Consumer Energy Council of America [CECA] reinforces that. No one who knows the BTU comparison cost of heating oil and propane switches from heating oil at $3.00 per gallon to propane which on a BTU-equivalent basis sells for $3.85 per gallon.

The wisest choice for every consumer - regardless of the fuel you use - is to make sure you have a professional, licensed energy conservation technician check your heating system to make sure it is operating at maximum efficiency - and then the home or business owner takes greater control of their own energy costs. I referred to "licensed energy conservation technician" because that is what they are - and our strongest element with consumers.

Our website is icpa.org/ConsumerInfo.htm for people to use for more great information on energy savings.

Eugene A. Guilford, Jr.
Executive Director
Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association